33 Comments - Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:43 pm: What has been so frustrating to anyone following Illinois government is the constant and almost predictable messaging by all the offices involved. Many times it was easy to speculate what one of the other would respond to when faced with the issue of the day, the sound bite of the moment. What has been noticeable is this Spokesperson’s responses. While doing her job at a high level, there has been more “plain speak” coming from her than any I can think of as quickly. Sometimes it is about saying what needs to be said for your boss without being saddled with checking the boxes of what is required to be said. I nominate Rikeesha Phelon. Her work-product and plain speaking when asked to comment for the President and the President’s Office has been refreshing and insightful. I have also enjoyed the “gallows humor” along with subtly pointing out avenues her boss and Office feel should be the message of the moment. Being a spokesperson is hard enough, let alone in the environment Illinois government finds itself in today. People and communications are critical in trying to get Illinois government to function. This year, Rikeesha Phelon has done an outstanding job by not being cookie cutter, but being herself, and letting the message be more about the issue, and far less about checking talking point boxes. - Stones - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:45 pm: I’m going to nominate Joe Tybor posthumously. Joe served the Supreme Court well and had a great number of accomplishments in his role as spokesman. - Soccermom - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:46 pm: RI. KEE. SHA. She is smart and hilarious and effective. The spokesperson trifecta. - Willie Stark - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:49 pm: Agree on Rikeesha and concur with Soccermom’s observation. ck gets an honorable mention in the “Best Spokesperson - General Merriment & Laughter” sub-category that I just created. - so... - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:51 pm: I nominate Lance Trover. In every job I’ve ever known him at - Illinois State Republican Party, Mark Kirk, and now Rauner - he’s always passionately represented his boss with professionalism and class. But more importantly, behind closed doors he’s never hesitant to speak his mind and if he thinks you’re making a mistake, he tells you (at length and at volume). That’s incredibly valuable in a spokesperson. - Dogwood - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 1:59 pm: I think both D spox people have done a terrible job, and Rauner is winning the battle of public opinion in major markets (which 1: is all he cares about and 2: is most effective). Trover deserves this for being so consistent, and winning the day-to-day against a rather limp Dem leadership response. It’s like the Dems don’t care if they get the Gov mansion back as long as they have the majority. - Georg Sande - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:02 pm: Trover and CK- they have numerous daily communicating responsibilities to a vast audience, unlike other spokespersons. They message well and very professionally. - Archiesmom - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:18 pm: Rikeesha Phelan. Smart, funny, concise, responsive. No question. - Raising Kane - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:20 pm: Lance Trover gets my vote. He has a very tough job….but he keeps his sense of humor and perspective. That’s not easy to find in the Capitol these days. - Max's Mom - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:24 pm: Lance Trover who really is a nice guy, and a major Parrothead. - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:38 pm: Where would the Office of the Senate President be without Rikeesha Phelon? She’s the adult in the room making sense of it all, essentially playing the role of head RA in the nerd fraternity. She’s responsive and responsible and wise beyond her years. - For what it's worth - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 2:51 pm: Only one spox can effectively get under the other side’s skin and provoke them to make mistakes. Only one spox has lured legislative leaders into Twitter wars and let them blow themselves up. Only one spox has fifty fires a day to deal with and still manages to win every news cycle. While I find Rikeesha’s pithiness amusing, Lance Trover has been the biggest impact player this year under the Dome. The award goes to Trover - if only to get Rich to re-up the Sun Times strut about his Twitter war with Lou. - Westsider - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:04 pm: Trover. No question. It’s been an air war and he’s an f-18. Nobody has a better grasp of the issues and ability to break it down into understandable points better than Lance. He word is gold and he’s a good guy. Lots of good people in this space but Lance wins the Oscar this year. - Anonin' - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:09 pm: Rikesha has kept the Senate President moving forward…The SuperStars credits are no budget, no child care for thousands of families, bungles on countless task — latest I55 rest stop. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:11 pm: Trover, without question. Consistently on message, and has been able to push people’s buttons to get under their skin, but not too much to where personalities override the issue at hand. - Politix - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:31 pm: Rikesha - hands down. Whipsmart and fearless, concise and responsive. It takes creativity and sincerity to address issues individually versus regurgitating tired talking points, and that’s what most sets her apart from ck and lt. - Politix - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:35 pm: “Rauner is winning the battle of public opinion in major markets” Um…what major markets are you referring to? His approval rating hasn’t broken 35%. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:38 pm: Rikesha Phelon. It’s been an airwar, and she is an f22. - Santa's little helper - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:54 pm: The F22 proved too expensive for its value added and is being phased out. The F18 demonstrated its versatility and became the platform of the future. True to life, the Trover F18 is more versatile and better for taxpayers than the budget-busting single-mission Rikesha F22. And he wears cowboy boots - if you needed a non military reason. - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 3:58 pm: Lance Trover. Great staffer, better person. The best at what he does bar none. - Northside City Dweller - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:00 pm: Lance Trover hands down. He is a tireless worker and fiercely loyal to those he works for, and with. He maintains great relationships with reporters and in politics thats not always easy. Anyone who knows Lance personally knows that the Governor couldn’t have a better person in his corner communicating his message to the media. - Twightlight Woods - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:05 pm: Lance Trover has done a phenomenal job hands down! He can handle some of the craziest situations under the dome with professionalism and a level head. He is pretty easy on the eyes too! - Anonymous - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:06 pm: I never realized how much the f22 and the Turnaround Agenda have in common. - DecaturGuy - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:09 pm: I vote for Lance because it’s not always what ends up in print, sometimes the hardest work is making sure things don’t get printed. And Lance is one of the most ferocious human beings alive at working to ensure stuff that shouldn’t get printed doesn’t. - Pawnee - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:13 pm: My vote is for Lance Trover. Fearlessly taking on the old guard and winning more than his fair share. The kind of fresh energy the Capitol needed. Let’s wrap this up before 8 or Lance will be in bed. - horse w/ no name - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 4:44 pm: I don’t think Lance is a bad guy, but he’s stuck to a bad message and it’s not terribly effective. I vote Rikesha. She rarely give canned answers and her statements are well crafted, substantive and effective. - Consilio et animis - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 5:02 pm: Rikeesha has done a great job of turning the conversation. She has been a major force in pushing the “holding the state hostage” narrative, and she has demonstrated again and again that brevity is the soul of wit (and political messaging) in firing back against Rauner’s snarky pr team. - walker - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 5:12 pm: If we discount the canned, repetitive, campaign messages, which after the first one require no creativity, then Rikeesha wins. For grace under pressure, and maintaining a healthy sense of humor, LT deserves a lot of credit. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 5:40 pm: I’d also like to include my name in calling for Lance Trover; While dutifully working for the Governor, Lance has continued to be the constant and consistent voice in ensuring the Governor’s message is framed and making clear the position of the Administration. Being a spokesperson is hard enough, let alone in the environment Illinois government finds itself in today. That holds true for Lance Trover, taking his lunch pail and hard hat and working tirelessly. He has my unquestioned respect, and does the job with deft skill. Governor Rauner is being served exceptionally well by Lance Trover and deserves this award. - Lucy2015 - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 9:05 pm: Lance Trover for sure. Lance is a tireless worker with a clever yet strategic charm. You always know where you stand with him and despite the unprecedented situations he’s had to deal with, he’s done his job with professionalism and class. I vote Lance all the way! - WestSubLadi - Monday, Dec 7, 15 @ 10:21 pm: I second the post-humous nomination of Joe Tybor. He pretty much single-handedly did research and drafted the language for the Extended Media Coverage pilot project (cameras in the courtroom). Talk about someone who was always available to the media, day or night, and went out of his way to get information for members of the media, whether or not it was related to the matter at hand or the reason for the call. He was very passionate about his work for the Court, and literally worked until he couldn’t. I couldn’t think of a better person who deserves this award this year. - Spliff - Tuesday, Dec 8, 15 @ 7:53 am: I think the only likely choice is Joe Tybor. In the new world of name calling and attacks on individual legislators by flacks we need to appreciate how things should be done and not how things are being done. Joe embodied that. - NeveroddoreveN - Tuesday, Dec 8, 15 @ 12:39 pm: Rikeesha Phelon; for many reasons, but most notably for her quote earlier in the year about the so called negotiating table Gov Rauner kept referring to. That 1 quote summed up the entire 2015 budget process. It was bleeping #golden Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.